


The Spark of Dawn

by NoctIsFishing



Series: DoreDore Adventure [2]
Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirates, F/M, Sequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-05 07:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20485037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoctIsFishing/pseuds/NoctIsFishing
Summary: She has no choice but to break free and run as she follows in her brother's footsteps. He discovers the past is out to get him and his crew, and he contemplates on whether it's time to stop running.





	1. Chapter 1

Another night in a lively town, another opportunity to cause reckless mischief.

Taichi burst out of the doors of a bar in the pirate village of Jundo, where he had just outwitted a pirate by winning a drinking game. Just as he picked up his loot, he saw Yamato throw a punch at a pirate of the same gang, one who had tried to steal a kiss from Mimi. Taichi grabbed more of the gold than he actually won and ran, with Yamato taking Mimi by the wrist to follow behind.

"Give me back my gold, Taichi!" roared the tall, stocky pirate who broke the bar doors as he barged out, and Taichi laughed at him back, clutching the bag of loot to his chest.

"You steal a kiss, I steal your gold, Pie-Pie!" he yelled back, angering the pirate even more.

"He's gaining on us!" Yamato yelled, encouraging Mimi to keep up.

"You're lucky I can run fast enough in these heels!" Mimi snapped back.

"Jou!" Taichi shouted as they neared the docks. "Pull the anchor!"

Jou's head appeared from the deck of their ship, the DoreDore, which was docked right at the end of the portside.

"Now?!" he asked.

"Do it! We'll catch up!"

Jou observed his running captain, along with the swordsman and chef speeding along, followed by the huge, threatening pirate right behind. That scared him enough to flail from his spot and lunge toward the rope to pull the anchor.

"What was I thinking, joining this crew?!" he asked himself. When he pulled the anchor, he rushed across the deck to tug on the sails for the ship to start moving.

"We have to keep going!" Taichi said, not halting when he ran across the docks.

"Wait!" Mimi said. "You don't mean-?!"

Taichi turned around and grinned, and Yamato smiled as he caught on.

"Captain's orders, Mimi!" Yamato said, and Taichi shouted as he swung the bag of loot over his shoulder before taking a leap off of the docks and splashing into the water.

At the same time, Piper the Pirate let out a low menacing laugh as he was now inches from Mimi's grasp.

"He'll catch us!" she cried worriedly.

"Trust me, he's not going to get us. On three, we jump. One, two-"

Yamato already jumped, and Mimi screamed as he grabbed her waist to bring her into the water with him.

"You didn't say 'three'!" Mimi whined as she smacked Yamato's shoulder, splashing him in turn.

"We needed to catch him off guard, too," Yamato explained, supporting her as they swam behind Taichi. "Besides, Pie-Pie can't even swim."

Mimi laughed with Yamato as Piper wailed in his defeat.

"Another win for the DoreDore!" Taichi yelled, and his crew cheered in response, including Jou and Koushiro, who threw down the rope ladder for their floating members to climb aboard.

"I want my gold back!" Piper cried loudly, his voice echoing across the water.

"Gee, Cap," said Jou, watching Taichi empty the soaking bag full of gold dripping water on the deck. "He sounds really sad. Maybe we should give it back."

Taichi ruffled through his hair, twisting the water out. "If there's anything you should learn about being a pirate, Jou," Taichi said, "it's that you shouldn't bet on something you aren't willing to lose. Otherwise, what's the point?"

Koushiro handed a towel to Taichi, Mimi, and Yamato, and they all laughed with each other, reliving the night as they shared their story. They sailed on the DoreDore along the silent seas in the dead of night, knowing the Marines weren't lurking around to try to catch them.

As soon as Mimi yawned, they all parted to their quarters on one side, Taichi heading the opposite direction. He went down to his stores to toss the new gold on top of the rest. He turned the iron handle until he shut the door, walked up the steps, and headed to his own quarters.

Right before he entered, he stopped and listened, thinking that he would hear a tap, a creak or a clatter. It had been a few months - six, to be exact - since the Hagu attack on Taiyou. He had only seen her a handful of times since then, and the gold continued to pile up, but it surprised him how long she left it untouched.

Just as Taichi wondered the next time he might see her, he saw rope hanging on the side of the ship that she liked to sneak in from. He walked along the deck to that side, but realized as he walked closer that it was the rope that Koushiro rolled out earlier. However, as Taichi tugged at the rope, his eyes spotted over the ledge a small boat floating alongside his ship, small enough to fit one body, curled in a fetal position as she slept peacefully inside of it.

How long had Sora been sleeping there?

* * *

Beneath the glow of a setting moon, a fleet of seven Marine ships floated atop the calm waters of the sea. Fresh from departing the Marine Headquarters on Mizuha Island, the ships sailed together before dispersing in different directions to begin their patrol for the next few days. In charge of the ship in the very front was Chief Motomiya who stood at the bridge as his crew, despite running low on sleep, prepared for their next course.

"Officer Hida!" the chief called, and a few seconds later, a short, slender young man appeared before him, holding his arm up in a salute.

"Reporting for duty, Chief!" said Intelligence Officer Iori Hida, then lowering his hand to join his other behind his back in straight posture.

"Always prompt and neatly groomed - I like that about you. Had your coffee already?"

"I don't drink it, sir. I've never liked the taste."

"Huh. Curious." Chief Motomiya then turned to survey the bridge where a few of the crew sat in their seats, some of them yawning, others nearly drooling on the equipment as they slept.

"Um, Chief? Ready for the morning report?"

"Oh - Why, yes, of course."

As usual, Officer Hida recited the non-urgent matters that occurred overnight - complaints of pirate tomfoolery and thievery on various lands that may or may not have been worth looking into. The Goma Gang. the Toge Pirates. the Kabuteri. It seemed as though a new name came across his ears every other day.

But as far as the Chief was concerned, there was only one gang of pirates he waited to hear about every morning.

"And? What of the DoreDore Crew?" the Chief asked.

"They were seen just off of the peninsula of Yuujou," Hida replied.

"And?"

"Nothing more to report, sir."

Chief Motomiya sighed. Yuujou was an island where only pirates were allowed to dock - an infestation of them, he thought - and if he had his way, he would have that island blown off the map, if it meant to rid them all. Marine ships couldn't be caught dead near that island if they wanted to live.

It frustrated the Chief even more that it was another instance of letting the DoreDore Crew sail on through under his watch. They were lucky that his dimwit of a son Daisuke let them escape on Hagu, even within his arms' reach.

"Chief?" Officer Hida called again, and the chief snapped out of his raging thoughts. "We'd better head in a different direction. We're about to trail into Jundo territory, and it's going to be a breach in the agreement of the treaty.

Chief Motomiya scoffed. "Don't think I don't remember the peace treaty, Iori," he grumbled. "We don't want to test the patience of Princess Miyako and her people. Head starboard!"

"Aye, Chief!" yelled the crew at the steering post.

Officer Hida spoke just before the chief was about to dismiss him, and what he said gave the chief pause:

"Sir… There have also been reports of activity from the Yami Crew."

"The _Yami _Crew?"

"Affirmative."

"Are… Are you sure they are credible? I haven't heard that name in years."

"Reports are that they're headed south, just past the Doki Island."

It was hard not to forget that name. They were a crew of twenty, its captain once a no-name pirate who led the crew to wreak havoc in every town they passed through. It was only until a few years ago when their bounty skyrocketed to the top five, after they raided a port town one night and nearly burned it down, barely escaping on their boats as they left it in flames. That same night, the town's blacksmith and his wife lost their lives to those filthy pirates. The Governor and his family joined the townspeople in mourning two of their beloved, declaring a ban on pirates from ever setting foot in their town.

What angered the Governor the most, Chief Motomiya recalled, was that this ban included his own son, who chose to live in exile on the night the town went up in flames, with the eldest son of the blacksmith sailing along with him.

There was no mistaking that the Yami Crew was heading back to Taiyou. But, why they decided to go there left the Chief at a loss.

"Send word to Sergeant Motomiya in Taiyou," the Chief commanded. "Tell him and his men to keep a watchful eye. It'll give him something to do other than kick rocks in front of the mansion."

Officer Hida bowed and turned from the chief to report to the communications officer, although, he wondered to himself, why the Chief always thought so lowly of his own son.

* * *

Hikari woke at the tapping outside of her bedroom window.

The maids hadn't burst through her doors to open the curtains, which meant that the sun had yet to rise into the sky. It was too early for her liking, but the tapping was no surprise - she knew who they came from.

She sat up on her bed, recognizing her long, sleek brown hair falling around her shoulders. Her mother got her into the habit of brushing it before bed, so that her hair was perfectly neat and untangled upon waking up.

She still hated it.

Sighing, she gathered it to drape over her shoulder to just above her chest before getting out of bed. Part of her wished it was like her younger days, when she would open up the curtains to meet her older brother, still in his school uniform, but greeting her with a grin after sneaking out past curfew with his friends. In the weeks before he left the town, he began to show up with odd spectacles over his hair, boasting that it was going to be his claim to fame - or infamy, as Hikari joked with him.

As she opened the curtains, her eyes met with one who wore his own strange pair of spectacles above his burgundy-colored hair. Her brother, Daisuke certainly was not, but the mischievous grin on his face was surely reminiscent.

"Good morning, Lady Hikari," he said, leaning against the ledge by her window as she unlocked and pushed it open. His grin faded as soon as he noticed she wasn't smiling back. "What's wrong? Did I wake you at a bad time? Should I come back later?"

"No, Daisuke, it's…" Hikari looked down to her hair, frowning even more. Her own appearance was a reminder of the days to come. "Don't mind me. Or else, I'll complain about things I'll never be able to change, again."

"Oh."

For a moment, Daisuke wasn't sure how to respond. He and his men were assigned to watch over Taiyou Town since the last pirate raid, with a special request from the governor himself for him to guard the mansion, and, in turn, to keep an eye on Hikari. Over the last six months, he had watched her as she joined in meetings with her father on government affairs, as well as practicing etiquette with her mother. He stood by at dinner events and meetings with other officials and potential suitors for Hikari, which, after leaving his own father disappointed, did not include him.

Hikari, of course, hated every minute, and she despised the fact that she was constantly chastised by her parents and was forced to be looked after. Daisuke hated seeing her unhappy, being chastised himself. However, there were two things he knew that would cheer her up. The first was when he guarded her bedroom door, explaining to her mother and maids that she had fallen asleep early, whenever she was whisked away to go around town with Takeru.

The second - with her brown eyes lighting up with the smile he adored to see - was when he brought her news that Taichi was safe and sound.

"Your father must be thrilled," Hikari said with a chuckle, her mood suddenly brighter.

"Every step closer to them is another step away from his reach," said Daisuke, finding amusement in knowing his father's annoyance. "He is _over the moon._"

"Living freely with nothing to hold him back. I really should have left with _Nii-san_, after all."

Hikari's face fell again, and before Daisuke could respond, Hikari's doors burst open, with three maids walking in. Everyone turned to each other, and the maids stopped in their tracks.

"Oh, by _Heaven's Gate!_" shouted one of the maids, holding her hand to her heart. "It's only you, Sarg! For a moment there, we thought you were-"

"Nope, it's only me!" Daisuke said, laughing nervously as he scratched the back of his head. Hikari turned to him and flashed an apologetic smile before turning back to greet the maids.

Yeah, it was only him, and a sense of disappointment loomed over him every time they mentioned it. He wasn't the goggle-headed boy that Hikari had always wanted to join. He wasn't even the blacksmith that Hikari wanted to be around. He was only Daisuke, the good-for-nothing, son of a Marine Chief, that Hikari had no choice but to see everyday.

"I guess I should get back down, then," said Daisuke, who turned to begin his climb, when he felt Hikari's hand placed over his to stop him.

"I'm glad you're here, Daisuke," she said, smiling warmly. "I couldn't trust any other Marine."

Daisuke grinned again. "Hey, there's a reason I'm known as the best around here!"

_Except when I'm not._

"Hikari-chan," said one of the maids when she approached her, the other two making her bed and preparing her wardrobe. "Are you sure you want to wear this piece today? Your mother says it's meant for tomorrow's ceremony."

"I'm aware," said Hikari, and Daisuke looked to the item in the maid's palm. It was a small comb, decorated with navy blue gemstones that shimmered in teal and gold when hit by sunlight, which, with their luck, was beginning to illuminate the sky. Daisuke had never seen such a sight, and Hikari had explained once that it was an item meant to keep within Yagami tradition.

Daisuke remained quiet as Hikari enclosed the bejeweled hair comb in her hand. It was part of the tradition for the woman to entrust this treasured item to the man she loved, whom she intended to spend her life with, and with whom she was to continue the family name.

The man in the forthcoming ceremony was none of those things - even Daisuke knew that.

"Did you have any more news for me, Daisuke?" Hikari asked then.

He did. Among the news of the DoreDore Crew, he was informed of another name, the Yami Crew, who apparently had their sights set on Taiyou.

"Nothing else important - well, nothing me and my men can't handle, anyway."

"I'll hold you to that." She stared him down with skepticism. At least she seemed back to her normal self.

With that, Daisuke finally climbed back down to the front of the mansion. Maybe it was because the sun had just barely risen and it was too early, but he fully expected Hikari to cause an uproar about the ceremony in front of him and her maids. Even in the early hours, she was surprisingly calm.

Maybe there was something that Hikari wasn't telling him, but perhaps it was only fair. He didn't want her to worry about those pirates; she had enough on her mind already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am baaaack with this. I'm excited to share what I've got.  
I've introduced Iori/Cody, yay! You'll see more of the other 02 kids, too.  
Some names and their meanings:  
Jundo - Sincerity/Purity (Mimi's Crest) - you can bet there will be more about this place later.  
Yuujou - Friendship (Yamato/Matt's Crest) - Can't all pirates be friends? (not really if they're stealing gold from each other, lol)  
Yami - Darkness  
**the other pirate crew names are their digimon partners, of course :)


	2. Chapter 2

Although the DoreDore Crew had left Taiyou Town in good spirits, Yamato could never forget the encounter with his younger brother, Takeru. No matter how hard he tried to avoid thinking about it, scenes of his past visited him while he slept, each occurrence being much worse than the last.

"_You're a bloody pirate!" Takeru's voice echoed amidst the chaos of the surrounding riots. "The Yamato I need is gone! Worst of all…you took our parents…."_

That was how the dreams always began, though lately, a scene further into the past had crept into his memory.

"_Yamato, my son…!"_

_Yamato rushed to his father and mother who lay in the middle of the shop. He could hear the wheezing in his father's breath. His mother lay perfectly still._

"_Father!" Yamato cried as he panicked. "Who did this to you? There's blood everywhere…" He surveyed the stains of blood on his father's shirt, the slashes on his stomach and just over his chest. "I can take you and mother to the town doctor if we hurry-"_

"_There's no time, Yamato!" his father croaked. "Listen to me. You must leave Taiyou. Protect Takeru…."_

"_Father…?"_

"_...Don't let it fall into the wrong hands…"_

"_Father…? FATHER!"_

With a gasp, Yamato opened his eyes wide, blinking at the wooden ceiling above. Gone was the image of his dying father, but it still appeared in his mind, fading into memory. He moved his hand across the bedsheets at his side in the silent room and recognized that Mimi was no longer sleeping beside him. The room was still dark, and the curtains were closed to block the morning sunlight. As his breath calmed and his pounding heart slowed, he curled his fingers, clutching at the sheets, grateful that she wasn't there to see him at his worst.

He got dressed and drew the curtains to view the happenings on the main deck. Mimi was nowhere to be seen, but he knew that she was already working away in the kitchen. Seeing Sora standing with Jou at the farther end was a surprise for the morning, but it was not in the slightest unexpected. Koushiro had just appeared to walk away from Captain Taichi, who had a suspicious look on his face as he stood on the other end of the deck with his arms crossed, staring in Sora's direction.

Yamato took his time to put on his belt with his swords at his sides. Then, he left his sleeping quarters to walk over to stand next to his captain. All things considered, Yamato saw that Taichi's expression didn't change.

"Hmm…" Taichi said, with his fingers on his chin.

"What's with you, Cap?" Yamato asked, both of them watching Sora and Jou talking to each other.

"Is it just me, or does Sora seem to be acting weird lately?"

Yamato crossed his arms as he watched Sora laughing with Jou. "She seems no different than she usually is."

Sora and Jou stopped laughing suddenly as Koushiro appeared next to them. He wore what appeared to be a thin medical contraption around his neck, and he put either of its tips in his ears. Yamato couldn't make out what Koushiro was saying, but when Koushiro held up the circular piece at the end of the contraption's long tube toward Sora, her expression suddenly turned sour.

"I'M FINE!" she said irritably, forcing Koushiro to cautiously take a step back. She then turned to Taichi and Yamato, who both flinched at her reaction; but instead of walking towards them, she stomped the other way.

"If she's acting weird, it might be because of you, Cap," said Yamato.

"I didn't do a thing!"

Koushiro returned to the captain, putting his stethoscope away. "She looks fine and healthy to me, Captain," he reported. "There's just one problem."

"Oh?" Taichi said with curiosity. "What's that?"

"She appears to be upset with you. What did you do this time?"

Taichi groaned. "How am I supposed to know?! Taiyou was months ago, and she never mentioned a thing the last time we crossed paths! Suddenly, she shows up on our ship with no explanation!"

"By the way, Yamato," said Koushiro, and he held the bell of the stethoscope up to Yamato. "Shall I check you? You're usually up at the nest by this time, but it appears that you've woken up later than everyone else."

Yamato certainly didn't want to talk about it. Whether or not he said anything would have made his captain and his crew mate suspicious. Luckily, Taichi let out a hearty laugh right on time, sparing Yamato the need for explanation.

"Hey, my swordsman can afford to sleep in every now and again!" Taichi said, slapping his hand around Yamato's shoulder.

"Says the one who is usually the last to wake up all the time," Koushiro retorted, crossing his arms.

"Now, why does it seem like you're implying that I did something wrong?"

"It's because you probably did, boss," shouted Jou from afar.

"Aauugh!" yelled Taichi.

"What is all this racket?!" Mimi asked, appearing at the top of the ladder from the dining room, wearing a scowl. "Captain, I'd like some peace while I finish preparing breakfast!"

Yamato felt his eyebrow twitch as he observed Taichi's increasing aggravation.

"Why do you think this is my fault? Are you going to be mad at me for no reason, too?"

"Hey now, Taichi," said Yamato then, as he grew tired of everyone yelling at each other. He moved toward Mimi and wrapped his hands around her waist. "You don't want to irritate our beautiful, loving chef, do you?"

"Oh, Yamato," said Mimi breathlessly with a smile, her mood instantly deflating into adoration. "You're too good to me."

Yamato flashed a smile in return and responded with a kiss.

Koushiro and Jou passed by their disgruntled captain and were ignored by the two lovebirds as they headed to the dining area to help set up.

"So, what are we having this morning?" Yamato asked.

"Just the usual grilled salmon and miso soup," Mimi replied, "and I made sure to have some extra natto on the side."

"Ugh, natto?" Taichi groaned.

Mimi glared back at Taichi. "_Extra_ natto."

"Mm, a woman after my own heart," said Yamato, holding Mimi closer as she leaned in for a kiss. They ignored Taichi behind then as he grumbled about more than just the natto, and he disappeared down the ladder to join the others.

Mimi giggled at her beau. "I'll convince Sora to join us for breakfast. You'd better get down there before Taichi leaves nothing but sticky soy beans for you."

"Heh, I guess I should."

Yamato gave Mimi another peck before heading to the table. He was still smiling, but Mimi stared at him for a while.

"Yama, is something the matter?"

He stopped at the top of the ladder, staring down. As much as he had been trying to hide it, he should have realized that nothing would ever get past Mimi.

"It's nothing. I just had a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's nothing to worry about, Mimi."

Yamato continued down the ladder, and Mimi said nothing else. Even so, he was already preparing for her to ask him again at the next chance she got.

* * *

It was to the knowledge of Governor Yagami and his wife that their daughter was strolling through town that afternoon, shopping for any last minute clothing and accessories for her wedding ceremony the following evening. They had been allowing her to make her own plans lately, especially since she had finally woken up to the idea of marrying a man of wealth and power.

Of course, Hikari never understood how they were led to believe that she had 'woken up' from her rebellious ways, even when she lied about her real plans to their faces.

Hikari stood behind a tree, wearing her hair in a bun, with her chosen hair comb of blue and gold sitting on top of it. She was dressed in her loose cotton shirt and pants that cut just below her knees. She gripped the hilt of her sword as she surveyed the open grassy field for her target. She spotted him immediately as he ran from tree to tree, trying to sneak his way toward her.

When he came closer, he drew his sword and swung as he went around the tree, but he realized that Hikari had disappeared from where he thought she was standing. Catching him wide open, Hikari swung herself down from the branch above, aiming her sword as he turned to block her with his. His lip curled into a smirk.

"Are you trying to outsmart your teacher?" Takeru asked.

"It's the best way to learn," Hikari replied, flipping herself down as she somersaulted to her feet. She continued to swing her attacks without missing a beat. Takeru blocked each one, although he could barely keep up. Her swings were faster and heavier against the edge of his sword, and just as he found an opening to attack, her hard hits quickly put him on defense.

"Hikari!"

He continued his attempt to gain the upper hand, but her hits against his sword gained force each time.

"_Hikari!"_

Ignoring his calls, she twirled her move to knock Takeru to the ground with his sword flying out of his hand.

"Ha! Outsmarting at its finest," Hikari said triumphantly, laughing through her heavy breath. "That was a good match, wouldn't you say, Takeru?"

She turned to him, and realized that he hadn't gotten up from the ground. In fact, he wasn't moving at all.

"Takeru…?"

She dropped her sword and walked closer. She kneeled at his side, panic creeping into her the longer he didn't respond.

"Takeru?!"

Hikari ran her hands along his shirt, checking for stains of red, though there were none. "Takeru!" she continued to call, her vision blurring with the sting of tears, her hands grabbing his shoulders. "Takeru! Take-!"

She stopped when she felt Takeru grab her wrist, and she heard laughter through his smile.

"I can't believe you, Takeru!" Hikari shoved him and stood up, turning away.

"I thought you would get a laugh out of that!" Takeru explained when he sat up.

"Well, I'm not laughing now, am I?!" she said, her voice shrill and quavering.

It was only when he heard her quiet sobs that his smile faltered.

"Hikari..." Takeru got up to approach her, guilt hanging over him. She turned her back as he tried to reach for her. "Hey, Hikari, come here."

She let his arms enclose her the second time, just as she let her tears fall.

"I'm sorry, Hikari," Takeru said gently. "I didn't think you were going to react this way."

"No," she responded with a sniffle. "I'm sorry, too." She let go of him and stood in front of him, wiping her tears away.

At that moment, Takeru realized the reason for Hikari's tears.

"It's tomorrow, isn't it? The ceremony."

"Yeah. It is."

The snap of a twig caused the both of them to look to a nearby tree where the leaves shook from its branch. Hikari grimaced.

"Daisuke!" she called out, knowing that he had been keeping watch for her from the treetop. At least, until he had fallen asleep. The sound of his snores echoed as his reply back to her.

Hikari sighed as she turned away from Takeru. She remembered where they were, the grassy field far from the mansion and the city centre, which was away from her doting parents and suspecting guards. It was the perfect time to tell Takeru what she truly wanted for herself - and possibly, what she wanted for him, too.

But, she couldn't do it with Daisuke around, even if she trusted him with her life… even if he was asleep. She flattened the front of her blouse and returned her sword into its sheath; then she went to pick up the bulk of violet cloth that was her dress.

And Takeru watched, wishing he had the right words to say. He had noticed how silent she had been about the ceremony, in which she was going to wed someone other than him. Hikari's parents had disapproved of him, merely a day after he was given credit for the capture of the Hagu pirates. There was a loud argument between Hikari and her mother, which ended with her mother threatening to disown her if she chose to spend the rest of her life with 'some commoner boy'. Hikari had stormed out of the mansion in fury.

Even with her silence, Takeru knew how angry she was about it. Her especially hard-hitting swings with that day's session was another piece of evidence. Still, she had taken great care with the dress in her arms. He knew that she had to put it back on by the time she returned to the mansion, to continue her facade of living in royalty; a facade that, by tomorrow, would inevitably become her reality.

It pained Takeru to think that today was his last with her.

He _had_ to say something.

"Say, Hikari..." Takeru began.

"Hmm?"

But Takeru hesitated, even more so when she looked up at him with curiosity.

"...How about we hang out at the Kagayaku tonight? My treat?"

It wasn't exactly what he wanted to say, but at least it meant spending more time with her. Hikari gave him a smile that warmed his heart and broke it at the same time; he wondered if that smile was going to be one of the last ones for him.

"I thought you'd never ask, Takeru," she said, linking her elbow with his. "We'll let Daisuke sleep a bit. He deserves it. Besides, going to the bar beats having to actually go shopping until the shops close down."

"How have you let that get past your parents, anyway?" he asked.

"It's hard to believe, but Daisuke can be pretty convincing."

Takeru chuckled. "That is surprising."

"And, don't forget-" Hikari drew closer to his ear, lowering her voice. "I can outsmart anyone."

She gave him a look as she giggled and started walking ahead, leaving him dumbfounded and feeling the heat on his ears.

* * *

The Kagayaku was as lively as it had ever been, mainly due to the presence of two of its most beloved patrons. Takeru offered Hikari anything on the menu that was to her liking, but all she wanted was fish and chips - her favorite. This was the place where Hikari appeared to be at her brightest, chatting away with Takeru and the other patrons, and laughing the hardest whenever he cracked his jokes.

At the stomping of feet and the shake of the tambourine, Takeru and Hikari joined the other patrons to help drag the tables against the walls. With cheers and hollers, the dancing began. Hikari shouted with delight as Takeru grabbed her hand to lead her to the middle of the crowd. They danced side-by-side merrily to the rapid beats of the bongo drums, along with the jovial melodies of the guitar and violin.

Neither of them wanted this to end.

After a few light-hearted songs and lively dancing, the band slowed their tempo, and the violinist began to play a soft tune. Many of the patrons made their way back to the tables, but Takeru and Hikari lingered where they stood. Takeru held out his hand with a smile, and Hikari gladly took it into hers. She then placed her free hand on his shoulder, and he placed his on the side of her waist as they swayed to the music.

"They keep asking me why I keep my hair up in a bun like this," Hikari said with annoyance, her voice hushed for only Takeru to hear in confidence. "They think it's a shame that my beautiful hair is up all the time."

Takeru had noticed the other patrons talking about her hair, along with pointing out the hair comb that she wore. Oddly enough, the dark blue gems on the comb reminded him of his mother, who loved being spoiled by jewels that his father gave her. It was beautiful, just as how he pictured it on Hikari, whether she had her hair tied up or with its tresses flowing down.

"You're beautiful," Takeru murmured.

"Takeru…?" Hikari looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed, surprised. As her cheeks reddened, Takeru realized that he had spoken his thought aloud.

"Well… You are, Hikari," he repeated with more confidence, feeling his own blush on his cheeks. Hikari found herself giggling at him.

"Listen, about today… I'm sorry I overdid it."

Takeru chuckled. "You did well today. You were just a little intense."

"Just a little bit."

Hikari gripped Takeru's hand, and Takeru pulled her waist closer to him. His blue eyes sparkled like the ocean on the sunniest day, a sight which she couldn't imagine a day without.

Even then, Takeru looked back into her glistening brown eyes, a treasure one would even be so lucky to find. How could he ever think to let her go?

He squeezed her hand back, keeping his gaze locked with hers. He couldn't ignore his beating heart that was yearning for him to finally speak his mind.

It was now or never.

"Don't do it," he said. "Don't go through with the ceremony."

Hikari's eyebrows furrowed again. "Takeru?"

"Don't marry someone you don't love. The Hikari I know wouldn't do that, even if it was against her will. Nor if it was against mine..."

The music kept playing, but Hikari froze in her spot, still staring at Takeru. Her expression was unreadable, which confused him the longer she paused.

"Hikari…?" Takeru said.

Without a word, Hikari began to walk out of the Kagayaku, pulling Takeru behind her. She ignored the questioning stares around them, all of which were the same kind of stare that Takeru had on his face as they entered the cobblestoned street.

"Hikari, where are we going?"

Hikari moved quickly, wanting to be the furthest from the loud noise of the city centre, away from any wandering eyes. She didn't stop until they were toward the end of the road, close to Takeru's blacksmith shop where there was no one but the two of them under the brightly lit lamppost.

Before Takeru could say another word, Hikari twirled around to face him, and took hold of his shoulders as she pressed her lips against his.

She let go of him and he stared back, his turn to be frozen in his spot.

"Well…?" Hikari said, anxious for a response.

Takeru couldn't hesitate any longer. He moved forward to kiss her right back, cupping her cheeks with his hands. Every emotion he held back seemed to escape him as he kissed her and caressed her face, each kiss deeper than the last.

Hikari was still surprised by him, even when she knew just how much he felt about her. But as she took in his sweet, passionate kisses, she knew that her heart had always been set to make the right choice.

She was ready to tell him how she really felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaack. :) Thanks for reading and following along. Part II is going to be longer than Part I. Hope you enjoyed this and the updates to come!
> 
> Shoutout to yoroyazu for beta-ing this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

"Run away with me, Takeru," were Hikari's next words.

"What? Right now?" Takeru asked. Her words startled him, but he realized that her mind had already been made up, and it showed in the fire in her eyes.

"There's no better time! We can run to the docks and go on one of the ships. Most of the sailors are either out drinking right now or sleeping in the town's inn."

A laugh escaped Takeru's lips. "So, you're saying we should _steal_ a ship?"

"Doesn't it sound amazing?" Hikari leaned towards him, beaming. "We can sail across the ocean and go all over the world! We can even catch up to my brother - Oh, he'll be so proud!"

"Hikari, What you're really trying to say is that…" Takeru put his hands gently over hers, his expression serious. "...You want to become a pirate."

"Not only that."

Hikari reached the top of her head for her hair comb, its gems showing inflections of blue and gold under the light of the lamppost. She held it in her palm in between her and Takeru.

"This was meant for my future husband," she said, soft spoken. "The whole town was supposed to see me place this in the palm of the one I love, and the one with whom I want to spend the rest of my life with, but…"

She took both of Takeru's hands with his palms facing up so that she was able to place the comb right into them.

"I know how you feel about pirates, but there is no one else that I can ever give this to. Takeru… will you become a pirate with me?"

Since the Hagu Crew attack, neither of them had even uttered the word, 'pirate'. Hikari knew that Takeru softened his heart about them since then, and she was hopeful about his answer, though his unreadable expression before her gave her doubt.

"_Never trust a pirate."_

The words of Takeru's father from when he was a child rang in his mind. Takeru knew that his mother discouraged it, but his father always told him and Yamato childhood pirate folk tales. It was those stories he'd heard growing up, the suspicion of Yamato and his school friend Taichi of their misbehaviors, and, ultimately, Yamato doing the unthinkable to his own parents during the Yami Crew's raid on Taiyou - all that cemented his reasons not to trust one.

On the other hand, Then, it was the Hagu Crew who set out to destroy Taiyou a second time, but it was still Yamato with Taichi and the other DoreDore pirates who helped save the town from further turmoil. Even if he had a hard time admitting it, Takeru knew that Taichi had a kind heart, and that he would never lead his crew towards the worst. Furthermore, he knew that Hikari would be just as kind-hearted as her older brother, if not even more so.

Still, for him to become a pirate...

"Takeru?" Hikari waited anxiously for his answer observing his conflicted expression. She knew that it was ultimately Takeru's decision, in which she would either rejoice or end up devastated.

"Hikari, I…"

Takeru's words hung in the air, and at that moment as he stared back at Hikari, he had no idea how to finish that sentence.

* * *

Earlier that evening, a ship entered the port of Taiyou town. The two Marine officers standing guard at the docks stared at it curiously as it stopped before them. There were no scheduled arrivals usually after sunset, with the exception of ships that arrived from a delay.

As the Marines observed, the ship had too much wear and tear to be one of their own, and there was no indication of shipments for merchant trade, nor was there any sign of it being a boat of a wandering traveler. In fact, there were no signs of life at all the closer the officers looked; the ship was completely empty.

"Shall we report this to the Sergeant?" one of the Marines muttered.

"That's a good idea," said the other.

"Now, now, that would ruin the surprise," uttered the voice of a third person, startling the first two. "We pirates prefer to be left unnoticed."

"Pirates!"

Both of the Marines immediately drew their swords, but nearly buckled as the pirates in dark shirts and black pants came into view on the docks. The one who spoke stood in front of the crew, and he wore a black, leatherbound "X" over his shirt, as well as a patch over his left eye.

Their appearance matched Sergeant Motomiya's report: black bandanas on their heads as well as small, black leather belts tightened on their wrists. This pirate crew was the one that the Marines had been warned about earlier that day.

"You're the Yami Crew," said a Marine under his shaky breath.

"Ah, so you knew that we were coming!" the captain said with a sly smile. "That really does ruin the surprise."

The Marine opened his mouth to shout, but let out a choking gasp instead. A pirate from the crew had lurched from behind with a thrust of his sword through the Marine's back. The other Marine whimpered, shocked at his partner's sudden demise, but his whimpering was cut short with the slit of his neck.

Both men fell at the pirate captain's feet before they were able to call for help.

* * *

Mimi had cooked up another successful feast on the DoreDore that evening. She relished in her fellow crew mates practically inhaling the three-course meal that she had prepared all afternoon until after sunset. Of course, this was the norm for her being the in-house chef. She loved to serve her crew and to spoon feed her beloved Yamato, while making the captain grab another serving for himself whenever he asked.

Creating her meals was her art, her therapy to keep her distracted from whatever else might have been going on above deck - specifically as her patience wore thin with Taichi's behavior that day.

Taichi hadn't spoken to Sora at all, no matter how many times Mimi had nagged him to do so. Even as she climbed above deck from time to time for fresh air, she would see Jou and Sora sitting near the helm, and Taichi would be yards away, dawdling about. He was obviously afraid to approach Sora, although he might have shown more fear due to Mimi shooting death glares at him. How hard could it have been to ask what was going on with her?

Not that Sora helped any. Mimi couldn't even get her to join the crew for breakfast, much less get any answers after asking her upfront. Sora was just as difficult as Yamato, another mystery Mimi was finding harder to solve.

Yamato was the second to climb out of the dining area once everyone finished their dinner. It was typical for him to stay quiet and listen to everyone else chatter, but his silence that night made Mimi especially uneasy.

She also couldn't help but recognize that Sora was actually the first to leave the dining table, since she only came in to fill up her plate before leaving.

"Will you knock it off?" Taichi groaned after seeing Mimi scowling at him for the umpteenth time.

"Not until you talk to her," Mimi replied candidly. She stood up and began her routine of stacking the dishes and clearing up the table, although she was stopped by a pair of arms reaching the dishes in front of her.

"We'll take care of cleaning tonight," said Jou. "We can tell that you've been stressed out more than usual."

"What do you mean?"

Jou looked over to Koushiro, both of them exchanging knowing stares. "Let's just say that the carrots had more of a slicing than they needed."

"Was that why you didn't come to the kitchen when I called for you?"

"Never come between a woman and her knife when she's angry," Taichi mumbled.

Mimi's eyes flashed, just as she gripped a steak knife with the blade directed at him. "What was that?"

Taichi pulled back from his chair with both of his hands in front of him. "Geez, Meems, relax! I guess I know when I'm not welcome."

"Mimi," Jou said as they all watched Taichi climb the ladder out. "He's got his own issues to deal with. Why don't you go try to handle yours?"

Mimi then placed the steak knife on top of the stack of dishes and slid the stack toward Jou. She smiled and winked at him in response.

"Thanks, love. Just don't break any dishes, okay, Jou?"

Jou stood back, appalled. "Hey! You know that wasn't my fault! My 'egg-headed' boss had it out for me back then!"

As Mimi walked toward the ladder to the deck, she turned to look at Jou who had begun carrying the dishes in his arms. Koushiro raised his hand to Mimi in parting with a towel he would wipe the table down with.

She was grateful to have Jou as an extra hand for her and Koushiro. He had proven himself to be reliable, despite him telling stories about his former job as a kitchen boy in his hometown of Kurosu. Mimi remembered Yamato saying he'd lose his patience had he worked alongside Jou.

But Jou was also perceptive - they all must have been, including Taichi who she had been taking her frustrations out on - in knowing that she had been growing more worried about Yamato. When she left the dining area, she found him standing alone at the forecastle with his back toward her as he stared up at the glittering night sky. His stillness made it difficult for Mimi to tell if he knew that she was approaching him, even if she did it with caution.

As much as she could handle pushing Taichi to talk to Sora and bearing his irritation with her, she knew that she was treading different waters with Yamato; he was colder, and him lashing out was like shards of ice that she couldn't withstand. Even so, she couldn't bear to see him so troubled.

A few feet closer to him, Mimi stepped on a loose wooden floorboard. Yamato didn't even flinch, but she knew that he sensed her presence by then. Was he going to turn her away…?

His shoulders were relaxed and his arms fell on either of his sides, at rest down to his fingers. Mimi drew closer from behind, inches from him, and she knew that there was no way that he would ask her to leave him be.

When Mimi came to his side, she reached for his hand to hold. That was when Yamato finally moved with his fingers lacing into hers.

Yamato had known that hiding from anyone on the DoreDore would be for nought. Luckily for him, he had the perfect spot of solitude up in the bird's nest that day, where he tried but failed to clear his mind from his nightmare. Usually, it would take Taichi longer than anyone else to figure out something was wrong, but Jou and Koushiro had caught on quickly, and he knew that Sora did, too.

He knew that Mimi would sense it right off the bat. Even if she wasn't beside him when he woke that morning, she had been at his side whenever he woke up from those dreams in the nights past. Telling her that they were "just dreams" sounded like mere excuses - excuses that he had grown tired of giving her.

He looked in front of him over the railings of the ship, staring at the darkness of the sea and the clear, starry sky as he held Mimi's hand tightly in his.

"I never told you about the night that Taichi and I first escaped Taiyou," Yamato said, with Mimi turning her head to look at him.

"Sure, you did," Mimi replied. "It was the night of Taichi's wedding ceremony. He was next in line to be Governor, and he was planning to make a scene to help the two of you escape. That was when the Yami Crew showed up, those grimy bastards..."

She couldn't help but grit her teeth as she mentioned them, given her own encounter with them in the past.

Even then, Yamato looked at her, surprised. "You remembered that much?"

"Well, It's hard to forget, especially when Taichi gave me and Koushiro a re-enactment at dinner when I first came aboard. Remember? You and Taichi were bickering over how to tell it."

Yamato chuckled as he watched Mimi giggle. It was an odd first impression to give her as their newest crew member at the time. Both he and Taichi had rescued her on Kojo Island, where they had foiled the plan of the troublesome Iwa gang to raid her culinary school in an attempt to capture her and force her into becoming their chef.

Especially after an attempted kidnapping by pirates, Mimi was skeptical when Taichi asked her to join the DoreDore and become the chef for their own crew. But she accepted, and the crew was lucky for a woman like her to take a chance on their crew of all males; and, as for Yamato, he felt lucky for reasons that he was unable to find words to express.

"He does like to exaggerate," Yamato added, remembering Taichi's rendition of their escape story: a riveting tale of smoke bombs, sword fights, and flames amid the chaos. Taichi and Yamato had no other choice but to escape the town anyway, if only to lead the Yami Crew away from it to stop them from further destruction.

Mimi leaned closer to Yamato, and she knew with the look on his face that he was running the story through his head. "You boys were heroes, even if the people of Taiyou don't see it that way. Even if… Even if you had to..."

She didn't want to say it. The next part of the story of their escape was left untold by Taichi, though Koushiro had ended up telling the rest of the story for her. From the moment she heard it, Mimi found it hard to believe that Yamato would lay his sword on his own parents and kill them both.

Still, it was how the story went, and what was passed on to Jou after he became a crew member. It was what Takeru had gathered when he saw his father limp in Yamato's arms, and what the rest of Taiyou Town knew: that the blacksmith family had been betrayed by their own son.

But there was more to the story that Yamato had chosen not to tell until now.

"I had to protect Takeru," Yamato said, his mind heavy with his thoughts. "It was what my parents wanted, and what they had been fighting so hard to do. He was young, and they withheld a lot from him, except to never trust a pirate. Father didn't want him to touch a sword, but Takeru always wanted to do what his big brother did. Other than that… the secrets my parents kept, even the arguments fought between them - they hid what they could from Takeru to keep him safe and happy.. "

Mimi felt a tug at her heart as she saw his pained expression. "But they brought it all on you…"

Yamato kept his hand with hers. He wanted to tell her everything, but he didn't want to overwhelm her, just as he felt at that moment.

"I should have told him, Mimi; but I didn't… That night, I wasn't the one who murdered our parents."

There was a brief silence as Mimi drew her breath.

"Then, who did?"

"The captain of the Yami Crew. It was Kuro."

Mimi gasped at the name; she let go of Yamato's hand and stopped herself from growling, although she felt the rumble in her throat that went along with how angry she felt. The memories of her run-ins with that pirate before she was rescued made her blood boil.

"That bastard!" Mimi yelled suddenly, surprising Yamato. "He left your town in shambles! So many buildings destroyed… so many innocent lives were lost because of him!"

"Calm down, Mimi..."

"This isn't fair! He's off sailing the high seas with his crew while the Marines are after you for a murder you didn't commit!"

With her emotions running high, Yamato found it hard to stop her.

"Mimi, you don't have to-"

"He killed your mother and father, two innocent people right in front of you and you were framed! How in the world is that protecting Takeru?!"

"_Stop it, Mimi!" _Yamato shouted, taking Mimi aback. Silence fell on the ship, although Yamato knew that the rest of the crew would have been listening to them at that moment.

He gave a cold, hard stare to Mimi which sent a chill of fear down her spine. She feared at that moment that she might have spoken too harshly about something she knew nothing about.

But Yamato felt a sting at his lids, and turned away from Mimi as he balled his hands into fists. "Mother was innocent. But Father… he was far from it. If you think about it, none of us on this ship are innocent because of who we are, because of what we do…"

"What are you saying, Yamato…?"

"Taiyou was one of those towns where trouble never passed through. Because of our escape that night, the town believed that it was Taichi who led it there... But it was really my father who did it. It was one of his secrets that only Mother knew at first, and then he made me promise to keep it."

Mimi tread closer to him and realized that he was trembling. When she went around to face him, she could see a glint of tears in his eyes.

"I was too late to save my parents, Mimi, but Kuro was still there at the shop... I was still a novice at fighting, but I hit him with my sword before he ran off and left my parents there to die.. even then, my father made me promise to keep all of his secrets with me, even a second away from his death, just before Takeru found us..."

"Oh, Yamato..." Mimi said, blinking her own tears away as she came to understand him just before he revealed it aloud.

"Tell me, Mimi… at that moment, how could I tell Takeru that our father was a pirate?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thank you for being patient! I knew that writing the sequel that the story was going to take a darker turn than the original. More to be revealed, and of course, more to come. I hope you stick around. :)
> 
> Speaking of 'darker':  
_Kuro_ \- black. My Digimon buddies - can you tell which villainous Digimon I modeled the Yami Crew after?


	4. Chapter 4

As Yamato and Mimi stood at the forecastle, Taichi had been nearby leaning against the wall just outside of his quarters, able to hear every word between them. He caught sight of Jou sitting behind a couple of barrels as well as Koushiro near the ladder to the dining room. Taichi knew that neither of them could avoid listening to Yamato and Mimi's conversation.

That was the first time that Koushiro and Jou had heard about Yamato's father. Taichi had already known about him - he was Yamato's best friend in Taiyou Town, after all. It would have been a surprise to their schoolmates then, and of course, their crewmates now, that Taichi was actually good at keeping secrets, even with his loud and boisterous personality.

But it was a secret Taichi knew was worth keeping. He had figured that much about a pirate's life, given that he wanted to become one, and he knew what it meant for Yamato to protect his younger sibling, just as Taichi would for Hikari.

Furthermore, Taichi knew that Yamato would have killed him if he let the secret out before Yamato did it himself; and if Yamato wasn't able to, there was one other person who had been in on the secret - a fellow schoolmate-turned-thieving pirate - and she would've killed Taichi in Yamato's stead.

It was she who had been sitting near Taichi all along without him noticing.

"Secret's out, huh?" Sora said casually, making Taichi jump in his spot.

"He-!" Taichi stopped himself from shouting further and lowered his voice. "How long have you been here?"

Sora held up her now empty dinner plate and stood up. "Since I left the dinner table. You'd better work on your self-awareness and your surroundings, _captain_."

"You don't say? On my own ship? In the middle of nowhere?"

Sora took a step toward him. "What if I jumped out and attacked you?"

Taichi moved closer and gestured toward her hands.

"What? With that fancy, porcelain dinnerware? Choose your weapons wisely, woman. You don't want to break them and anger my chef."

"Me? Knowing her, she would blame you first!"

"...That's a fair point."

Sora paused before she thought to argue more. The sudden smirk on Taichi's face threw her off. "What are you smiling about?"

"You're back to normal."

Sora groaned under her breath. She couldn't decide what irritated her more: his words of arrogance or the fact that he was grinning at her for some reason.

That was also when she realized how close their faces were to each other.

With a scoff, Sora walked past him and avoided his stare, as well as the warmth in her cheeks.

"Where are you going?" Taichi asked.

"Away from you," she replied, stomping her way around him and through the door of his own cabin.

"Hey, wait a seco-"

Sora slammed the door in front of Taichi's face.

"Really?"

Before he pushed the door to follow Sora in, Taichi looked over to Yamato and Mimi, who were now sitting together quietly. Yamato rested his forehead against Mimi's as he closed his eyes with Mimi comforting him. Taichi couldn't tell whether or not Yamato was crying, but he knew that what he had just revealed had long weighed heavily on his mind.

Where the Yami Crew ended up, Taichi had no idea. That crew was a rough one to go up against at the beginnings of Taichi's adventure, but somehow, Taichi managed to survive. One thing was certain - Taichi sure as hell never wanted to have to deal with them again.

.

* * *

.

"Captain Kuro?" asked one of the Yami pirates.

Kuro sighed and lifted his foot with a long stride forward over the two fallen Marines, carrying on through the silent dockyard and toward the center of town. It was there in Taiyou, years ago, where his own throat was nearly sliced. He had been looking for his old partner in crime who had disappeared from the mighty seas, and he had discovered that his partner escaped to this quiet dump of a town where he married his longtime sweetheart and became a blacksmith.

"Be on your guard," Kuro commanded. "Remember the plan."

On the night that he and his crew ravaged this town, Kuro knew that his old partner Hiroaki, along with Hiroaki's beloved wife Natsuko, truly didn't have to die. It bothered Kuro to know that Hiroaki was so adamant to refuse his wishes, and that both Hiroaki and Natsuko had to die by his sword.

But Kuro also knew that Hiroaki didn't have to steal his diamond for himself, a diamond that was as beautiful as the ocean. It was a gem of deep blue that sparkled like small ripples in the water against the sunlight. A diamond unlike any other, one that was worth more than all the gold in the world combined.

Hiroaki had refused to reveal where he hid the diamond, even on the verge of his death; and just as Kuro committed his murderous deed, he was met with another reveal that stood before him: Hiroaki's adolescent son who greeted him with the strike of his sword.

It was the blade of that sword that missed the slicing of Kuro's throat, but it did not miss tearing up the left side of his face that was now decorated with an eyepatch. That moment left him no doubt that Hiroaki's son would grow up to become the multi-wielding swordsman on the crew of the most sought-after pirates the world over.

Kuro desperately wanted to get back at Yamato; not only for his lost eye, but for the lie Yamato had told about the diamond's location, which led Kuro and the crew into near capture by the Marines' highest ranked soldiers.

He knew that Hiroaki did well in keeping secrets, and Yamato was no different. However, there was one of the Ishida family secrets that Kuro recently discovered - one that he caught wind of from former members of the Hagu Crew a few months back - which was what brought him back to this forsaken town.

Kuro was tempted to raid the DoreDore out of sheer fury, but he knew that it would take more than a simple dueling of swords to get Yamato to talk. His ultimate goal was to force Yamato to give back his cherished diamond by taking the one thing that he had left Taiyou Town to protect-Kuro's last hope.

His first move was to head to the blacksmith shop.

Heading there was deja vu to Kuro as he snuck his way through the city and easily bypassed the Marines. To think the town would have learned to strengthen their security after the damage he and his crew had done the last time they showed up. As he surveyed the surroundings closer to his destination, he let out a laugh.

His crew watched him as they followed him, dumbfounded.

"I would have thought better of this town had we been attacked earlier on!" Kuro cackled, ensuring that his voice echoed loud enough for the whole town to hear. "Don't tell me the Marines are just as dim-witted and weak-willed as they've always been! This is way too easy-"

Shots fired suddenly right in front of Kuro and his men, and a few behind him yelped in fright. He turned to see that one had fallen backward and a few others jumped out of the way from a few bullet holes that smoked from the ground.

None of the men were hit, but Kuro narrowed his eyes as he scanned the area quickly and looked up toward the roofs of the buildings. There, he spotted two men in Marine uniforms, each taking cover and keeping aim with their rifles.

"You'd better think twice before taking another step," came a voice from a young Marine with spiky, burgundy hair who waltzed into view. "My men won't miss the next time."

.

* * *

.

As soon as they heard gunfire, Takeru and Hikari turned to each other in surprise. Nothing good ever came from that sound.

"Oh, no…" Hikari uttered under her breath. She tried to hide her growing dread, though she squeezed at Takeru's hands in front of her. "Takeru, I know that shot…"

"Yeah," he replied darkly. "The Marines would only be firing for one reason."

They both knew that a shot would never be fired unless it was ordered by a commanding Marine officer, and an officer normally wouldn't shoot unless there was serious trouble - 'trouble' usually being synonymous with 'pirates'.

Cursing under his breath, Takeru felt anger bubbling inside him. How could he ever see a pirate for good when they've done more harm than good in his eyes? Whoever this pirate gang was this time, he was not going to let them do any more damage to this town - not if he could help it.

"Takeru, Look."

Takeru turned to the direction in which Hikari motioned him to see. Small groups of townspeople hurried through the streets with hushed voices and frightened faces. A handful of Marines were scattered through the crowd directing them to leave as quietly as possible. It was then he knew for certain that Daisuke and his Marines were dealing with pirates - most likely, dangerous ones - and based on the behavior of the Marines in front of him, Daisuke might have already expected the pirates' appearance.

"Did Daisuke tell you about this?"

Hikari shook her head. "All I know is that he might be in trouble."

Among the crowd, Takeru noticed one two of the Marines quickly approaching the blacksmith shop. As vigilant as they appeared while watching over the townsfolk and their surroundings, Takeru knew how they would react the moment they saw Hikari.

Without warning, Takeru pulled Hikari up the steps and through the door of his shop, leaving the door open by just a crack to view what was going on outside. Hikari gasped and opened her mouth to protest, but Takeru put his finger against his lips as he watched the suspecting Marine stop a few feet away from the shop. A few moments later, the Marine continued his walk.

"What are you doing, Takeru?!" Hikari hissed.

"Listen to me," Takeru whispered. "If the Marines see you, the first thing they'll make you do is follow this crowd to safety. Daisuke would want to make sure of it, since he is your personal guard. But safety isn't the route you want to take, is it?"

Takeru saw the sparkle in her eyes knowing that she wanted to fight. He knew that she wanted to get rid of trouble where it didn't need to be; furthermore, she wouldn't have forgiven herself if anything happened to her own guard.

"Besides," Takeru added, "that route toward the gunfire is the same as your escape plan, isn't it…?

Hikari's heart sank at Takeru's sullen expression. Not knowing whether he would be part of that plan pained her, but she knew he must have been debating in his head at that very moment; yet, the fact that he still intended to guide her in the right direction gave her the reason why her hair comb was meant for Takeru, and only Takeru.

She drew herself toward him to kiss his pouting lips, her own forming a smile once she pulled back.

"Thank you, Takeru."

As he smiled back, a thought occurred to him.

"Wait here," he said, and he turned and hurried to the back of the shop, disappearing from Hikari's view. He returned to her with a folded piece of yellow parchment, its folds and creases apparent as he unfolded it before her. "It was my father's."

Hikari observed the masses of land drawings scattered on the parchment. "It's a map…"

Although it was smaller than most of the islands drawn, Hikari immediately spotted the one where Taiyou was located. The town was circled in black, but also scribbled over with other colors. She couldn't ignore the stray lines and squiggles all over the rest of the map in black, blue, red, and green ink.

"It's… colorful."

Takeru laughed to himself. "That was my doing. Father was so upset when he found out at first; he yelled at me, and I ran to my brother crying like a baby."

Hikari noticed the way his eyes lit up as he stared at the map, and held it delicately in his fingers.

"Father apologized in the end. He let me keep it, and even encouraged me to keep drawing."

Hikari giggled. "Really? Why's that?"

"He said that his story on this map was over, and it was up to me to create my own with it."

Then, Takeru folded the map in halves until it fit the palm of Hikari's hand. "You should hold on to it. For now, at least."

He was still hesitant in giving her an answer. He knew it as he pressed the map into her hand, and Hikari knew it as she stared at his troubled gaze.

"I'll keep it safe," she said. "We should head out now, anyway."

Takeru made sure his two swords were on either side of his belt, and he watched Hikari put the map away and check for her own sword as well. He then lifted his palm to meet her cheek as his answer to her question danced on the tip of his tongue, but his inner demons held him back.

"Let's find Daisuke," was the best he could muster. Hikari nodded, and together they made their exit from behind the shop and toward the dockyard, hidden from the Marines patrolling the street, and Takeru promised himself that he'd give his answer to Hikari as soon as the situation calmed down.

.

* * *

.

Kuro growled at Daisuke as a few more Marines appeared behind him with their swords held up.

"We've been hearing about you," said Daisuke with his hands on his hips and a knowing stare on his face. "Kuro, was it?"

"It's '_Captain_ Kuro,' you Marine scum," he snarled.

"Oh, really? What is it with you pirates and your semantics? Is the title really that important?"

"Wouldn't you know?"asked a pirate who lurched in front of Kuro towards Daisuke. "We know who you are, _'sergeant'!_ Not even a high rank! Nothing but dirt under our boots!"

An officer jumped forward from behind Daisuke. "You take that back!" he yelled, but Daisuke held his arm out to stop his officer from moving further.

Daisuke knew that this could get out of hand quickly. He knew that Kuro knew the same as he laughed under his breath. Sure, that comment touched a nerve for Daisuke, but he knew that lashing out of anger would only make things worse for him and his men.

Instead, Daisuke thought about his next steps as he adjusted the pair of odd spectacles that he wore as a headband on top of his head. Just as he pulled on the rubber strap above the back of his neck, he caught sight of more of the pirate crew hiding in the shadows of the others, one of them with a pistol aimed at his men on the roof.

With a smug smile forming on his lips, he knew exactly what to do.

"Easy there, buddy," Daisuke said to his officer, lowering his hand toward his sword's hilt on his belt. "It looks like these pirates know how to talk big, just like yours truly. But if there's anything I've learned, if you do that, you're gonna have to own up to it." He then turned to the leader of the Yami Crew and flashed a grin. "Isn't that right, _Kuro?"_

Kuro snapped in an instant, boiling with anger. "IT'S _CAPTAIN _KURO!" he roared. "ATTACK!"

Daisuke immediately hurled himself away from Kuro's hard swing as the swords from both pirates and Marines sprung into action. Keeping his eye on the pirate in the shadows behind others, he swung his arm up just in time for his sword to intercept the shot of the pistol, with the bullet ricocheting against his blade.

"Guns, hold your fire!" Daisuke yelled out, watching his men on the roof disappear from sight. "Swords, don't let these boneheads into the city!"

Daisuke fought alongside his men, swords clashing against swords as the pirates persisted their way across the docks. The Yami Crew were burly and strong, which Daisuke felt each time their swords thrust against his. They also played underhandedly, something that Daisuke realized immediately as he ducked underneath the swing of a pirate's fist. Luckily, this was a fighting style that Daisuke knew all too well, and he forced his own fist back into the pirate's stomach, forcing them off of the dock and splashing into the water.

But even as Daisuke persevered, he saw his men wearing down with each attack, and he saw them being punched in the face, thrown about, and kicked to the ground, one by one.

"You're no match for us, pipsqueak!" Kuro yelled, and Daisuke barely threw his sword up in time before Kuro's blade struck his face.

"I know what you did to this town, and I won't let you ruin it again!" Daisuke said through gritted teeth. "Not on my watch!"

Kuro chortled and lowered his sword. "How about we make a deal? We end this fight right now, spare the pyrotechnics and leave peacefully, on one condition..."

'_Whatever it is, I won't allow it!' _Daisuke thought to himself, and it took every ounce of him not to blurt it out.

"Which is?" he asked instead.

"Give me the blacksmith boy."

If there was something that Daisuke couldn't restrain himself from blurting out, it was his bursting fit of laughter.

"_What?!"_

Perturbed, Kuro eased his grip on his sword and rested his arms until they fell to his sides. "I don't see the humor in this!"

"The blacksmith boy? _Takeru Takaishi? _You came out- all this way for-"

"Shut your trap!" Kuro raged as Daisuke continued his pointing and laughing as he let it all out. The sounds of slashing swords slowed to a pause as the remainder of the Marines and pirates stopped fighting in their confusion.

Daisuke heaved deep breaths from laughing so hard before he began to calm down. "Oh, _man!_ I'm just surprised you'd want him of all people. He's got nothing to do with pirates, nor does he want anything to do with them!"

"You don't say…?" Kuro shot a quizzical stare to Daisuke who was convinced with his own words. It was then that Kuro realized that Yamato had kept his secret long and well.

Daisuke furrowed his brows at Kuro's sudden change in expression, as though he hid something behind the slowly forming smirk on his face. But Daisuke still had his sword in his hand, and he remained alert for whatever came next.

"Don't try to fool me, Kuro," he said with the pirate captain's brow twitching at the address. "You might have something up your sleeve, but Takeru won't surrender that easily."

"He's right."

Daisuke recognized that voice immediately, and it was no surprise to him as he turned to look that Takeru was smart enough to figure out what was happening at the docks, and that he would show up with his sword raised at his side.

It shouldn't have been a surprise to him that Hikari showed up beside Takeru, armed and ready with her own sword; but he still felt the dread knowing that he would have to prepare himself to be chewed out by the Governor's wife once she found out.

"Well, I'll be…" said Kuro, intrigued by Takeru's appearance. Observing his dirty blonde hair resembling Yamato's, as well as his blue eyes that shined as bright as Natsuko's. "Just the boy I was looking for. I assume you heard all that you needed to hear?"

"That you were looking to take me with you?" Takeru kept his sword high, staring straight into the captain's pitch black eyes and observing his pirate crew surrounding him. "I'd die before leaving this town with a-"

Takeru stopped before he mentioned the word, but guilt reached him either way as he watched Hikari take the sting that showed from her frown.

It wasn't what he intended.

"With a _what_?" Kuro teased. "A lowly pirate like me? You really don't know anything, do you? You're the same naive boy as when we last met."

Daisuke sensed the distraction between Hikari and Takeru, but he was also getting impatient the more he heard Kuro speak. Daisuke flung his arm and pointed his sword at the pirate captain. "Alright, Kuro, cut the crap, will ya?! Enough of this stupid _'I know something you don't'_ game! Tell us what you want or just shut up and-!"

The fist of a pirate hit his face before he knew it was coming. Daisuke fell to the ground in shock, but immediately felt the full force of a swift kick against his stomach.

"Daisuke!" Hikari cried, running toward him, but two pirates blocked her way to him with their swords threatening to strike.

"Cheap... shot…" Daisuke wheezed.

Takeru shot Kuro a hard stare, his own questions rising. This pirate seemed to provoke him for playing those mind games. What was he talking about, not knowing anything? And _'the same naive boy'_? There were only three different pirate crews Takeru had ever encountered in his lifetime. If it wasn't Hagu or the DoreDore, it was-

"The Yami Crew," Takeru muttered in realization through gritted teeth, his confusion turning into rage.

"Ahh, you finally remembered," said Kuro with a toothless grin.

Takeru charged toward Kuro with his emotions thrusting his sword ahead, though Kuro blocked him immediately. "It hurts that you didn't recognize your old friend!" Kuro added with a laugh.

Hikari took a deep breath. It was years ago, at Taichi's ceremony, when the dynamite exploded all around her. Her father had leapt over her on the side of the stage, keeping his hand over her eyes; but through the crack between his fingers, she caught a glimpse of them chasing after Taichi as she was carried away to safety.

Hearing her people screaming and crying and seeing the buildings around her light up in flames… She did not want Taiyou to go through that again.

But as a pirate stood lighting a stick of dynamite before her, Hikari's eyes widened and her instinct was to stop him from hurling it toward the city centre.

"Hikari, look out!" Takeru yelled, forcing Kuro away from him, though Kuro bounced back to spark a duel between them.

Hikari screamed as she elbowed a pirate who attempted to snatch her right arm. She turned clockwise to strike against the other pirate attempting to grab her, but in an instant she was hoisted up in the air.

"Stop this! Please!" she cried frantically as more of the crew ran further into town with dynamite in their hands.

"What the hell do you want with me?!" growled Takeru as he found himself defending more than attacking.

"I want the diamond, boy! The diamond!" Kuro sputtered, their two blades scraped against each other. "Your father stole it from me, and I want it back!"

Takeru fumed, his blue eyes afire. "Pathetic. You're doing all of this just for something that isn't even here. You have no idea what hell I'm going to put you through."

But he swung and missed, leaving him wide open for Kuro to knock him back against the wooden floorboards.

Kuro laughed mirthlessly. "We'll see about that. You're in for a rude awakening, dear _'son of a blacksmith'_."

The explosions erupted. Before Takeru could take in the initial shock, Kuro forced his elbow against Takeru's cheek, knocking him further into the ground.

Hikari continued to shout at the ensuing chaos as she hovered in the air, and she jabbed the hilt of her sword against the back of the pirate's head, making him loosen his grip on her and crash into the wood below. She caught sight in the corner of her eyes of Daisuke stirring. The few Marines left standing continued to battle, some of them chasing the pirates that were further igniting the buildings in flames.

She gained her footing and ran toward Takeru, who Kuro lifted over his shoulder, laughing as he walked toward his ship. She tried to move fast and swung at the pirates rushing toward her. _Block, twirl, strike. Duck, jab, swing._ All she could think about was saving the man who taught her these moves; the man that the Yami Crew was taking away from her. She kept fighting through the docks as the tears in her eyes streamed faster, but the pirates fell at her feet with every step.

Another boom rocked the ground below her feet, and Hikari stumbled and broke her fall with her hands. The hairband in her hair snapped loose, causing her hair to fall, sprawled in front of her face. She turned to see her city burning, and a few Marines had been thrown back from that blast. Her name was being called closely behind her, and she realized Daisuke was on his feet, running after her.

By the time Kuro climbed aboard the ship with Takeru, Hikari jumped up and ran across the docks, ignoring Daisuke's calls, until she noticed the sparkling fuse on a red stick between her and the way to the ship. She turned her heel and ran as fast as she could before she was sent flying from the blast behind her, with her blurred view of Daisuke falling to the ground in front of her before she lost consciousness.

"Wait until your dear old brother finds out about this," Kuro fretted for Takeru to hear.

Takeru was too weak to call for Hikari, or to even respond to Kuro. He felt pathetic for being caught, weak for not protecting her, and dizzy before his eyesight faded. All he could hear were the sounds of destruction in the backdrop of Kuro's laughter. He had always known that only he would be the only one who could save himself, but before his own vision faded to black, for a reason he couldn't explain, he wished that Yamato was there to tell him how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Hope you're hanging tight because there's more to come! I put a wrench in Hikari's plans... Kuro is the worst!
> 
> Next chapter: some Taiora and more Takeru (who definitely needs a hug!).
> 
> Thanks for reading!! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. :)


End file.
